Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Escarpelle Mine Company's No. 9 pit, located in Roost-Warendin, was dug in 1909 to serve as a vent at pits 1 and 3. World War I interrupted work before it was completed. After the war, the pit was rebuilt and modernized for extraction, with nearby mining towns. It became a key site after the nationalization of coalfields in 1946.

In 1955, the pit underwent a first modernization with the construction of a washhouse, which was stopped in 1968, and the replacement of its straddle in 1956. A second modernization took place in 1975: the well was deepened at 463 meters, and a Koepe pulley, recovered from pit 13 of Bethune, replaced the extraction machine. The rigging of well No. 13 was installed above that of No. 9, symbolizing this technical transition.

The 9th pit ceased operations on 26 October 1990, marking the end of coal mining in the North, after producing 18.13 million tonnes. The well was filled in 1991, and most of the facilities destroyed, with the exception of the horse riding (classified Historic Monument in 2009) and the office building. Grounds 136, 136A and 138, partially exploited, became open to the public.

The pit tile, converted into an industrial zone in the 21st century, is still home to the iconic chivalry, registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012 with the modern city of Belleforière. Since 2018, horse riding has been used to train ropers. The renovated mining towns today bear witness to this industrial past, while the chapel of Sainte-Rita, built after nationalization, recalls the community life of the miners.

Technical innovations, such as the mechanization of slaughter in 1974, illustrate the evolution of extraction methods. In 1977, the well reached 570 metres in depth, and the production records (632 tonnes/day in 1975) highlight its major role in the mining basin. The closure in 1990 followed by the closure of pits No 9-9 bis in Dourges and No 10 d'Oignies, marked the definitive end of the regional coal mine.

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